Starting a Business?

Know what's cool. The "cool factor" is an integral part of what makes a sales buzz successful-and working your territory is how you learn what's in and what's out. David Olson, national sales manager of Smith Sport Optics, says founder Bob Smith faced a big challenge when the company expanded its market from skiing to several other sports. "Skiing was not cool to surfers and [snowboarders]," says Olson. "And because we were associated with skiing, we needed to discover a way to reach [these new markets]."

Today, Smith Sport Optics associates itself with some of the best surfers and snowboarders in the world. Because top surfers and snowboarders are seen wearing Smith goggles in the company's ads, the buzz is "It's cool to be seen wearing Smith because 'the dude' is wearing them."

Homework assignment: Do you know what's "in" in your industry? Which people have a strong influence on your target market? Are they wearing or using your product or service? Find out why or why not. It's time to get in the loop!

See our tips on Tuesday, December 12, Wednesday, December 13 and Thursday, December 14 for parts 1, 2 and 3 of this article.

Creating a MAP will take no more than an hour of your time every month and will keep the lines of communication open, ensuring relationships with investors remain strong, and ultimately helping early-stage startups succeed.